Fritz Hollings
A sharp-witted Southern senator who championed fiscal discipline and fought hunger while serving for nearly four decades.
1922–2019 (age 97)·American politician·Birthday: January 1·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Ernest Frederick 'Fritz' Hollings was a political force from South Carolina whose career stretched from the statehouse to the U.S. Senate across six decades. First elected as a state representative in 1948, he became a modernizing governor who pushed for technical education and famously displayed a starving child's photograph to shame legislators into funding a school lunch program. In Washington, he carved a reputation as a budget hawk, co-authoring the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings deficit reduction act and becoming a vocal critic of Pentagon waste. His partnership with Republican colleague Strom Thurmond, though ideologically mismatched, became a study in pragmatic Southern politics. Hollings retired in 2005, leaving behind a legacy defined by his acerbic wit, fiscal conservatism, and a persistent, often lonely, advocacy for the poor.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Fritz was born in 1922, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Fritz Was Born
The biggest hits of 1922
#1 Movie
Robin Hood
Fritz's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1922Born
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1927Started school
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1935Became a teenager
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1938Could drive
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1940Could vote
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1943Turned 21
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1952Turned 30
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1962Turned 40
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 50
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 60
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 70
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 80
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2019Died at 97
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
Key Achievements
- Served as the 106th Governor of South Carolina, where he established a state technical education system.
- Co-sponsored the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act, a landmark 1985 law aimed at balancing the federal budget.
- Founded the Senate Hunger Caucus and was a leading voice for anti-hunger programs throughout his tenure.
- Served 38 years in the U.S. Senate, forming the longest-serving Senate duo in history with Strom Thurmond.
Did You Know?
As governor, he kept a pair of live turkeys in his office to promote the state's poultry industry.
He was a decorated veteran of World War II, serving as a field artillery officer in North Africa and Europe.
He once called the space shuttle program a 'mobile boondoggle' and advocated for its cancellation.
His nickname 'Fritz' stuck from childhood, a common German diminutive for Frederick.
“The only thing that saves us from the bureaucracy is its inefficiency.”
